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Sad News from Hawaii-a Historic Cinema Closes

While browsing through the web site cinematreasures.org, I found out that The Varsity Twins Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii closed its doors as of today.

When I saw the headline, I was a bit jolted because there is a Varsity Theatre down the road in Chapel Hill, NC. That cinema is (snicker here) best known for a 'cameo' in an episode of "Dawson's Creek."

But, while the theatre in Chapel Hill remains open it is indeed sad to hear about the fate of another Varsity Theatre.

The Honolulu cinema opened in 1939. It was known for its art modure/art deco design. In recent years, the theatre was showing primarily art films. As of its closing, it was showing Sarah Polley's new film "Away from Her" and the French film "The Valet."

According to an article in "The Honolulu Advertiser," by Mike Gordon, art-house films will now be shown at two other Consolidated Theatre locations, the Ward and the Kahala.

The 15 employees of the Varsity were told that they could transfer, but many chose to quit or retire.

Ann Bradman, a film curator for the Honolulu Academy of the Arts, expressed disappointment to "The Advertiser:"

"I even liked their popcorn. It had a mom-and-pop store feeling, and we are losing that."

Henry Demello, 52, added that he felt a sense of remorse since he met his wife Jane there for the couple's first date 20 years ago.

The newspaper featured a photo of the cinema's outside when lines were circling the theatre for a screening of "E.T." in 1982. In recent years, attendance had dwindled to the point where pool hall customers went in to the theatre mere to take in the venue's air-conditioning.

The Varsity was located at 1106 University Avenue in close proximity to the University of Hawaii's Manoa campus. The web site featured credible speculation from a blogger that the cinema would be turned into a dormitory for the university.

Cinematreasurers.org features a comprehensive list of both open and closed movie theatres of interest around the country. I noticed that several of my favorite movie theatres and drive-ins, including the Grandin Theatre in Roanoke, Va., The North Theatre in Danville, Va., as well as the Graham Cinema in Graham, NC, and my friend Gary Doss' Rockingham Theatre in Reidsville, NC, are on that list along with the aforementioned Varsity Theatre in Chapel Hill.

Fortunately, all those cinemas are among the lucky ones because thereare each in active, though the North, which has only recently reopened, does not show films on a regular basis. Though one has to credit the owner for bringing David Lynch's "Inland Empire" there a few weekends ago.

When I was a reporter for "The Salem Times-Register" in Salem, Va., back in 1998, I wrote a historical retrospective on the closed Salem Theatre. Before it closed its doors, the cinema went through the indignity of becoming an adult film theatre in the 1970s. During its heyday, Leo the Lion from MGM Studios made a promotion stop in Salem during the 1930s.

Whenever an old cinema loses, the community loses a valuable, historic landmark which can never be replaced.

Other favorite historic cinemas of mine, include the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City, the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Va., the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg, Va., the Opera House in Shepherdstown, WV (which really is a movie theatre!)  and the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro.

Though the Grandin remains open, it went through several years where it was closed. And, the Roanoke area lost its only other 'historic' movie theatre, the Terrace, just a few years ago. It opened in 1967, a mere three years before I was born. My fondest memory of that theatre was seeing Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" there in 1985. I did want to see the Bill Murray film "Stripes" at the Terrace in 1981, but it was an R-rated film and I was just 11 years old then.

I am also told that the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, which also serves as a concert venue, is quite the place to see a film. They were schduled to show "Saturday Night Fever" there some time this summer.

http://www.cinematreasurers.org

http://honoluluadverstiser.com

 

 

Turkish Folk Dancers in Far Southwest Virginia!

Last year, I had the opportunity to cover Melungeon Heritage Association's annual gathering in Kingsport, Tenn. for "The Appalachian Voices" at the request of my old Radford University professor Dr. Bill Kovarik.

It was an informative, educational gathering which helped me learn more about the Melungeon people_ a distinct group of individuals who live in Appalachia who may have ancestoral origins in Turkey as well as North Africa and Portugal. Melungeon populations are found primarily in parts of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

This year, I am happy to report that Raleigh-based folk dancer Zeki Maviyildiz and his Blue Star (Mavi Yildiz means Blue Star in Turkish) Dance Troupe will perform at this year's Melungoen reunion in Big Stone Gap, Va., on June 30.

Maviyildiz will bring both traditional and modern Turkish dance to the Southwest Virginia Museum in Big Stone Gap.

The focus of the conference will be 'Before 1607_ Melungeons in the New World.'

Dr. Brent Kennedy, a Melungeon civic leader and historian, has brought much of the focus of the ancestorial links between Melungeons and Anatolia into the limelight. Unfortunately, Kennedy suffered a major stroke some two years ago, though he is on the road to recovery. Kennedy recently traveled to New York to speak with alumni of Istanbul University who now live in America.

This year's gathering will also feature a documentary film entitled "Melungeon Voices," by Julie Williams.

Maviyildiz has performed at various functions throughout the country, and especially in the Raleigh-Durham area. I have met him personally, but alas I have yet to see him perform. Maviyildiz hails from the city of Kars in northwest Turkey.

The reunion will also feature speakers Lisa Alter, Jack Goins, Wayne Winkler and Terry Mullins. Their story is quite a fascinating one as they are believed to be the descandents of sailors who landed with Sir Walter Raleigh's ships around Roanoke Island, NC.

I have preliminary plans to go to Charlotte that weekend, but I hope this entry can help spread interest in this event in both the Turkish-American and Melungeon communities.

Big Stone Gap is about 150 miles west of Roanoke, Va.- my hometown. The closest metro area to Big Stone Gap would be the Bristol-Kingsport area which is divided between Virginia and Tennessee.

For more useful info:

http://www.melungeon.org

 

 

Dead Poets Society, Final Entry, Nazim Hikmet

As anyone who watched at least one episode of "Six Feet Under" (or the recently departed "The Sopranos") knows all things must come to an end.

My Dead Poets Society entries were started as a way to bring awareness to National Poetry Month, which is in April. I thought these entries would have concluded long before now, but I decided 12 was the appropriate, magic number.

So, I conclude with own personal favorite poet. He is Turkey's most renown poet, the highly political Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963). I actually posted one of his poems, "About My Poetry," on this blog on Dec. 21, 2006_ before my Dead Poets Society entries began.

Here is "The Walnut Tree," which takes place at the famed Gulhane Park near Topkapi Saray (Palace) as translated by Gun Gecer:

My head forming clouds,

see inside me and out

I am a walnut tree in Gulhane Park

an old walnut, knot by knot, shred by shred

Neither you are aware of this, nor the police

I am a walnut tree in Gulhane Park

My leaves are nimble, numble like fish in the water

My leaves are sheer, sheer like a silk handkerchief

pick, wipe, my rose, the tear from your eyes

My leaves are hands, I have about 1,000

I touch with you a thousand hands,

I touch Istanbul

My leaves are my eyes, I look in amazement

I watch with you are 100 1000 eyes, I watch Istanbul

Like 100 1000 hearts, but, beat my leaves,

I am a walnut tree in Gulhane Park

Neither you are aware of this, nor the police  

 

Big River at Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke

The musical "Big River," the 1985 Broadway adaptation of Mark Twain's 1885 classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is now gracing the Trinkle Main Stage at Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, Va.

The play's musical director is my friend Chris Tilley, who has been a member of the Greensboro Playwriters Forum.

The production runs until July 1.The music and lyrics for "Big River" are by Roger Miller and the book is by William Hauptman. The play won the Tony for Best Musical, and was performed at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C., aka the place where Lincoln got shot, in 2005.

Mill Mountain's web site describes the musical as a 'tale of adventure and self-discovery which begins on a raft in the Mississippi River in the 1840s where Huck meets Jim.'

If you want to know more, go to your local library and consult a Cliff Notes edition of "Huck Finn!"

The musical features several bluegrass and country numbers, and there have been over 1,000 performances of the show so far.

For those wanting to see what the show looks like, I am providing a photo link of "Big River" from a performance that was given at Theatre Cedar Rapids in ..of course... Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Useful links:

http://www.millmountain.org

http://www.jasoncoyne.com.smugmug.com/gallery/160004#5951399

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn

 

 

 

 

 

 

News Flash_ I'm Actually Promoting "Prarie Home.."

In a review for the Grandin Theatre web site last year in reference to the film version of "A Prarie Home Companion," I called Garrison Keillor's NPR show 'The Blue State equivalent of Hee Haw.'

A few friends of mine who are fans of the show took a slight exception to my remark.

But, now I can make it up to them, by promoting the June 23 "PRC" show which takes place in Kansas City because it features the Durham bluegrass band Carolina Chocolate Drops, which is one of only two African-American string bands in the country....

In a world with Turkish heavy metal bands (more on in a later entry) and the Russian swing band Red Elvises (see earlier entries), I suppose nothing is too surprising. But, when I watched the CCD perform at the Charlie Poole Bluegrass Festival in Eden, NC, last weekend and saw musician Dom Flemmons dressed like an actor from "The Beverly Hillbilies," I was genuinely shocked.

But, the CCD is much more than a mere novelty band. They are excellent musicians who perform amazing music at every level.

Flemmons is incredibly gifted at what he does as he can play four-string banjo, guitar, jug, kazoo and harmonica. He is joined by Justin Robinson of Gastonia, NC, who can play fiddle and five-string banjo. Lead singer Rhiannon Gidden is a brilliant vocalist from Greensboro who also plays five-string banjo and fiddle.

In addition to their NPR performance, the CCD will be performing in Charlotte and Durham later this month. For my friends in the Roanoke-Blacksburg area of Virginia, the CCD will be playing Floyd Fest between July 27-29.

And, in Canada, the band has concert gigs in Winnipeg and Vancouver.

The CCD will be rereleasing their album 'Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind" on June 25.

They cite bluegrass musicians Joe and Odell Thompson as being one of their influences.

For more info:

http://www.myspace.com/carolinachocolatedrops